Pressure builds on peace talks as Knesset prepares for recess

July 27, 1998 9:00am

JERUSALEM, July 26 (JTA) — The impending start of the Knesset’s summer recess has increased the pressure on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to reach an agreement with the Palestinians. The premier, who has promised to present any such agreement to the Knesset for approval, was facing threats from the Third Way Party to secede from the governing coalition if no action was taken before the end of the week. Further complicating the choices facing the premier, right-wing members of his coalition have threatened to bolt the coalition if he gives away too much in any deal with the Palestinian Authority. Meanwhile, with the Knesset’s three-month recess slated to begin Thursday, President Ezer Weizman again called for early elections. Weizman, who reached a temporary truce with Netanyahu after recently issuing a similar call, said he was “not in a good mood” over the continued deadlock in the negotiations with the Palestinians. He added that the Israeli public ought to be given the opportunity to have its say in the peace process. Agriculture Minister Rafael Eitan and Science Minister Silvan Shalom criticized the president’s remarks. Eitan said such political interference by a president was unprecedented. Shalom said it was “hardly coincidental” that Weizman had spoken in favor of early elections just days before a scheduled Knesset vote on that very issue. The opposition was also anticipating another vote slated for this week — a no- confidence measure against Netanyahu over what they charge are his failed peace policies. In the midst of these domestic pressures, Israel put forward new proposals in an attempt to jump-start the stalled negotiations, according to Palestinian sources. The sources, who would not get into specifics, made the comment Sunday after a secret meeting the night before between Defense Minister Yitzhak Mordechai and Palestinian Authority Chairman Yasser Arafat’s deputy, Mahmoud Abbas. The two reportedly agreed that talks between small teams from the two sides would resume Monday after having been suspended for several days. Meanwhile, Syrian President Hafez Assad traveled to Egypt for a three-hour meeting with President Hosni Mubarak. The two leaders reportedly discussed a European proposal for a new multinational conference aimed at advancing the peace process.